Tonight’s the night! We have 15-20 households, 35 people, who have said, “I’m going for it!” Whether

they are going to focus on getting their household in order by making a budget,

knowing where their money comes and goes, or to eliminate debt so that they may

have “Financial Peace”. Others have done just that, they have managed God’s

resources well, and now want to bless the world and make a bigger impact in Jesus’

name through The Legacy Journey. I dare YOU to show up tonight, and GO FOR IT!

There’s still room…what are you waiting for? Is the Spirit nudging you? I sure hope

so. Don’t worry, if you miss a class or two, you’ll have access to all the materials and

videos.

TONIGHT Monday, January 8th Financial Peace University and The Legacy Journey

begins at 6:30pm. We have 23 signed up for FPU and 12 for Legacy Journey! $93.00

(make check out to St. Olaf) for FPU and $100 for Legacy Journey. Free session

tonight to see if you like it 😊.

If you missed the message this weekend, take the time to watch and read the

following. This sets up everything for the next 3 months. Secondly, get out your Bible

and read the Gospel of John.

John 1:35-51 Watch the following video to come and see/hear the scriptures https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=video+of+John+1%3a29-51&&view=detail&mid=E26E4B3408E41550B8DFE26E4B3408E41550B8DF&&FORM=VDRVRV “Come & See”

Pastor’s Note

A weekly letter from Pr. Tom Pietz, St. Olaf Lutheran Church

January 8 – January 14, 2018

Every time I lead a funeral service I wonder what kind of relationship with God the people have that I am speaking to. Do they know Jesus? As family, friends, neighbors, co-workers, relatives, gather into one space, they could be all over the place as far as their faith in God goes, let alone, what Jesus means to them. As a Christian, I think of myself as an evangelist, a “missionary-at-large”, who has an awesome opportunity to share the gospel, the good news of Jesus Christ, to those gathered at such a possible pivotal,

receptive moment to hear some hope, some mercy, some grace that they rarely hear in our world.

Yet, this opportunity to share Jesus does not just come only at funerals, but it’s every day. Take today, for example, those of us gathered here, for whatever reason, are in some spiritual state of being, either disconnected or connected to God. We may be far from God, totally angry, distant, … or completely complacent like “who gives a rip”, or your soul may very well be “on fire” for Jesus. So I boldly ask you,

“Where are you at with Jesus? Do you have a casual belief… are you all in with Jesus?”

Maybe you are like one of these people from the movie God’s Not Dead. I know I have mentioned this movie before, but let’s dig a little deeper into it. Let’s see who you identify with the most.

Professor - angry at God for taking his mom away with cancer when he was 12. As an atheist, he teaches philosophy and intends to make everyone denounce faith in God.

Student (Josh) - A Christian, unwilling to deny God, is willing to testify to his faith in a philosophy class of 100 students who all wrote on a piece of paper, “God is dead.”

Businessman - Climbing the ladder, questions the value of seeking God when his mother loved God all her life and now has dementia.

Reporter - Seeking people’s approval and her eccentric boyfriend, discovers she has cancer and her boyfriend ends the relationship because he didn’t sign up for that. In her desperation and searching, she unexpectedly shows up to interview the Newsboys before their concert and they pray with her and God gives her hope, peace, and a sense of joy on her face.

Chinese student - raised in a culture in which atheism is the norm, he is open with questions and comes to faith through the testimony of Josh.

Josh’s girlfriend - is solely focused on herself and their planned future and has no time or understanding for her boyfriend Josh to risk not getting a good grade in Philosophy.

Muslim student - living under a strict household of a father who believes in following Allah, the god of Islam, she is intrigued by this personal God who loves and cares for His people through Jesus, who she eventually claims as her Lord and Savior leading to being excommunicated from her home and family. Video clip of God’s Not Dead trailer [2 minutes] Watch this https://www.bing.com/search?q=god%27s+not+dead+trailer+youtube&form=EDNTHT&mkt=en-us&httpsmsn=1&refig=f3ed258940be451ba67d40bab8e3be99&PC=DCTE&sp=3&qs=SC&pq=gods+not+dead+trailer&sk=SC2&sc=4-21&cvid=f3ed258940be451ba67d40bab8e3be99&cc=US&setlang=en-US

In our scripture video earlier we saw Jesus walking around the region calling people to “come and see” and to follow him (follow the rabbi info). Some said YES, I will leave EVERYTHING to follow you, like the Chinese boy or Muslim girl who even got kicked out of her family and home by saying Jesus is my Lord and Savior.

Others, like several of us, will just continue to go about life, following the norms of society, accepting whatever world view we are taught that does not point to a Creator God who came to redeem us and love us in person. Like the Duck Dynasty dude who says that if we disown God he will disown us, no matter how harsh that sounds, maybe he’s got a point.

John, the apostle, evangelist and gospel writer, states his purpose clearly for writing this gospel literature to tell the story of Jesus in verses John 20:30-31 30Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. 31But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name. John’s clearest declaration of the gospel is what you and I have likely memorized, “For God so loved the world that He gave his only begotten son, that whoever believes in him, shall not perish but have everlasting life.” John 3:16

What I love about John is his very particular detail and attention to both the Jewish faith and to non-believers or gentiles. He’s a both/and kind of guy, reaching out to his own people and to those who have no affiliation with the Creator God who came down to us through Jesus.

John is going to introduce us to Jesus in a variety of ways. He’s going to show God’s mercy through Jesus in healings and bringing hope to people. He’s going to show God’s power through miracles. He’s going to show us what love is…unconditional love, love without prejudice, love that is not selective but treats everyone with respect, honor, and acceptance. He’s going to show us tough love, for those who are so bull-headed, like the Pharisees, that they need a little kick in the pants, if you know what I mean. God, in Jesus, is going to show us how to live life…how to live the life God intended for us, to the max, the fullest, with abundant joy and purpose. Do you desire that? Then tune in. Get engaged. Read John’s gospel!

First, how are you going to read John’s gospel? Who lives on their phone here? Got a Bible app? I recommend the Glo Bible or Bible Gateway, both are free apps and that means that you carry the Bible on you at all times! How awesome it that!? Here are the 7 best Bible apps…load one on your device today. Or find your favorite Bible in your home and place it in a sacred space you love to be. So, number 2 is…

Where’s your chair? Where do you love to sit still and read or contemplate? I have 3 great chairs and spaces 1) in my office at church 2) on the main floor of the condo 3) downstairs on a recliner. These three spaces are primarily where I sit still, sip coffee or water, talk to God and listen to God through His Word.

God is here to meet with you. He’d like to build a personal relationship with you, a mutual relationship that is. God pursues and loves you every day. We often neglect to recognize God’s hand in our lives. As I write these words I am glorying in the sunshine coming through my office window ALL DAY LONG. And as I had lunch with my family that day, I prayed to God with them, thanking God for His presence and beauty in the sunshine. That acknowledgment of God in our lives is relationship. That communication through prayer, and reading of His scriptures, helps us to know Him more and His will for our lives.

God’s not dead, He’s surely alive. On this journey of life, who are you most like? Are you like the Chinese student who was taught there was no God but was yearning for more to the life than a godless world. Or the Muslim girl who desired to know this God of grace and love rather than the god of strict rules and isolation. Or the reporter, Amy, who was chasing recognition from the world

and her boyfriend only to find her days were numbered, and soon discovered peace and joy before she would pass away. Or like the young man who heeded the call to step up and testify to his faith turning philosophy on its head and challenging an angry professor and a self-centered controlling girlfriend, while the Spirit led a whole classroom of students from complacency and denial of God, to faith in the one true God. Or the professor’s girlfriend who finally stood up for her faith and left a relationship with conditions that would deny her faith as legitimate. Or her brother, the wealthy businessman, ladder climbing, boyfriend who wrote off his mother’s faith due to her condition of dementia, and who would continue down the lonely road of narcissism. Or the angry professor who, before his last breath, on the street says he believes in Jesus. Or the Duck Dynasty duo praying to Jesus on a televised TV show boldly declaring their faith. Each of these people have a story of life and faith. Some are far from God, ticked or complacent. Some are wavering, searching or skeptic, but there may be an openness to explore. And there are others “on fire”, staking their lives that this is not some ancient fairy tale storyline, but a real, life-transforming, purpose-driven journey that invites us to live life to the fullest. Who is Jesus? A prophet? The messiah or Christ? The son of God? The lamb of God who took away the sin of the world. Your savior? Your Lord or master teacher? What will you confess over these next three months of walking with Jesus to the cross and empty tomb?

Join me as we walk together with John and his gospel for the next three months. Read the gospel of John, sit down in a sacred space in a favorite chair or couch, with a Bible in hand, hard copy or electronic. And listen. Listen to God. Be still and know that God is God. Let us pray…

Daily Readings (Jan 7th – Jan 13

th)

Sunday – John 1:35-51 Monday – Matthew 4:18-20 Tuesday – Matthew 4:21-22 Wednesday – Matthew 9:9-13 Thursday – Matthew 9:35-37 Friday – Matthew 10:1-4 Saturday – Matthew 10:5-12

JUST A REMINDER …

Our youth will be at Youth Quake at

the Dells this weekend, so we will

have regular Sunday school on Jan.

14th and not our G.I.F.T. (Generations

In Faith Together) this weekend.